Missing piece
by Bruceluce
Summary: Set after Aftermath and Tokens but it's an independent story. Explores Huddy pregnancy. Fluff, fun and drama.
1. Chapter 1

**So this is my third fanfiction. In the first one I explored the reasons that could have pushed House in the mental institution and how him and Cuddy could have gotten closer, although I'm aware I never was able to write that final part. I will do one day, I promise. In my second fanfiction , Tokens, I was concerned with knowing more about House's past. Here I explore another important step in the life of how favourite characters. I'm always very careful about not writing anything out of character, I love House as he is and I try to be as faithful to his persona as I can. So tell me what you think of that.**

**Also in this story which would take place in season 6 I have somehow kept the old team as I like them better. **

**Enjoy, and, as always, review!**

1

She was late. They hadn't been very careful lately. They knew it but didn't acknowledge it. But now she was two weeks late. She decided not to tell him anything until she did a test. So today she would do a blood test at the hospital and find out.

***

She stepped out of the lift feeling both weak and elated. He was going up after his clinic duty and upon seeing her he caught her by the elbow and directed her smoothly back into the lift, with a loud "How about you buy me lunch, Dr Cuddy? You owe from last night!" and a lurid wink. In the lobby, a few heads turned, but most were used to this kind of remark from Dr House and didn't pay any attention to it. They believed House to be a sociopath and didn't see in those remarks any hint as to what was really going on between the diagnostician and the dean of medicine. Which suited Drs Cuddy and House just fine.

"So..." House started.

Cuddy gave him a questioning look "So what?"

"Well obviously there's something going on, you hardly opposed any resistance to me opening up that patient this morning and now you have this weird thing on your face"

Instinctively, Cuddy raised her hand to her face, with a questioning look at House. Did she have something smudged on her face?

"It's trying to be a smile but it's not quite there." He said.

Cuddy laughed. He was just so funny to be with. She did want to tell him. She was so excited. She was a bit worried how he would react but she had grown to trust him and the love he professed for her. If he really cared as much as he said he did, this should be no biggie. Well Ok, having a baby is in itself a biggie, but she wasn't scared to tell him. She just didn't know how to say it. Was she expected to just blurt it out: "I'll have a club sandwich and a diet coke oh and by the way House, I'm pregnant"? That didn't sound right. It had been less than an hour since she had find out and somehow right now she was content being the only one who knew. She still had to process it. She had wanted a child of her own for so long! Of course Rachel was her own now, but she longed to be pregnant, to feel tiny feet kicking in her uterus, to have morning sickness, to give birth to a little human being. And a human being with half his genes! Quickly, before the door opened, she kissed him on the lips. Later, she told herself. A lift definitely wasn't the best place to make such an intimate revelation. Nor was a busy cafeteria. But she couldn't wait too long, otherwise he would find out. He would just know. So she forced herself out of her mother-to-be dreaminess and answered with a convincing "Stop scrutinizing me, House, there's nothing wrong, isn't a girl allowed to be happy?" To this, House just shrugged. He would find out.

They sat in an empty booth. House popped open his bag of nachos and offered it to Cuddy. Usually they avoided meeting in the hospital when it wasn't for medical reasons. It was weird being together and yet not being able to have an intimate conversation lest someone should overhear them. And frankly, it was also very hard to keep their hands off each other.

"This is weird" Cuddy said.

"I know, right? It says 'cheddar' but I swear they smell like Chase's feet" House retorted with a dead serious face.

She laughed shaking her head and he smiled at how much he loved to see her laugh.

"I know what you mean." House acknowledged what she was really getting at. "I wish they would all go away. But you know you can tell me anything, right?" Under the table, he stroked her shin with his foot.

Lisa smiled "I know honey." It had slipped her lips. She should really be more careful. But she couldn't help it. Working with the man you love and trying to keep it a secret could really be torture sometimes.

He grinned as she grazed his own leg with her bare foot. "It's ok. Honestly. We're fine. Just eat your burger! " she whispered.

"Don't boss me around, boss, I'll eat it if I want to!" House was in a bantering mood again.

"Well, don't you?"

"I'm starving!"

"There you go then!" she smiled winningly.

"Don't give me that look you filthy little..."

At that precise moment they were interrupted by the chief paediatrician: "Dr Cuddy, I will need you upstairs when you're done."

"Oh Dr Carrew, I'm sorry I completely forgot, I was meant to come this morning but... " I did a pregnancy test instead, she thought. "I'm so sorry. I'll be right up."

Dr Carrew nodded, and, shooting a puzzled look at House and then at Cuddy, went to sit down at a nearby table.

"You think he heard us?" Cuddy was now blushing.

"Don't know, don't care" answered House. "Although I'm interested. What exactly did you forget?"

"Dr Carrew asked me last night to come and visit him first thing today. They have a complex case with Siamese twins."

"So, a matter of crucial importance. For you anyway. And yet you forgot?"He looked at her suspiciously.

"Yeah, well, I had other things on my mind. Listen, I've got to go. How about I come see you in your office this afternoon? I'll bring coffee?" She meant it as an apology. She was sorry she couldn't tell him the big news right now. She finished her food and dabbed her mouth with her paper napkin. The shape of her lips was now printed in 'rose glacé' –her favourite lipstick shade– on the white napkin. A perfect kiss shape. She smiled at it and handed it to him with a cheeky smile as she got up to leave their table.

Her back turned, she heard his sarcastic "Thanks!", as if he hadn't understood the gesture. She knew better and he knew she knew. This was torture, but it could also be very fun.


	2. Chapter 2

2

It was only late that day that she finally managed to get some time for a coffee break. She knocked on his door with two steaming cups of coffee. He was sat behind his desk, looking at something on his computer. He took his glasses off when she came in, as if he didn't want her to see him wearing them. She smiled. "I like them you know." She walked up to him. "In fact, I like you in pretty much anything." They exchanged a knowing look. "Where's the team?"

"Still running some test. That girl seems quite intent on dying."

Cuddy had walked up to his window and was now looking outside. He was looking at her and she could literally feel his eyes on her. She knew he was trying to read her body language. She was going to tell him. Just not in his office, out in the view of everyone.

"Fancy going out on the balcony? I could really do with a bit of fresh air."

House nodded. They crossed to the meeting room and out onto the balcony. House pulled the blinds half-down. He wasn't sure what would come out of this but he was quite sure it would deserve more privacy than a glass office could offer.

Cuddy stood outside, her hands wrapped around her steaming cup, her eyes taking in the lovely October landscape. The bare black tree trunks stood out against the white sky. The air was mild except for the soft cold wind blowing on her cheeks. There was an almost feathery touch to all of it. It was so mellow. A great month to be on the way of becoming a mom. She counted the months. Her baby would be due early July. She felt so warm and soft inside. So at peace with everything. She turned to him, standing by her side. Clearly he wasn't so impressed with the early autumn landscape. She liked the fact that he was waiting patiently for her to talk. She smiled at him. "I'm pregnant." She said simply.

Her voice had come out soft and yet crystalline clear. It didn't sound like something she had meant to tell him before and had only finally managed to let it out now but more like something she had just realised. House wasn't exactly surprised .He had figured either she was pregnant or she was breaking up with him –or both. But her sparkly eyes and the beautiful smile he saw on her face told him she wasn't calling it off. For a moment he seemed not to react, as if he hadn't registered the information. His eyes left her face and came to rest on the landscape. Suddenly it was all so mellow. He smiled. He looked back at her, moved closer and leaned in. "We're going to be great at this" he murmured a mere inches from her lips.

***

Meanwhile inside the office Cameron, Chase and Foreman had walked into the meeting room to find the stores half shut. They could see two pairs of legs on the balcony. It didn't take them long to figure out they belonged to House and Cuddy. The three of them sat in their chairs, unable to take their eyes off the balcony.

"Good or bad news you think?" asked Foreman

"I dunno, but..." Suddenly the legs adorned with Nike shocks moved very close to the legs perched on heels and came to a rest. "Are they kissing?!" Chase asked in bewilderment.

"Chase, go peek through the blinds" asked Cameron, not even bothering to take her eyes off the window. "

"What! Why me?"

"Coz you're his favourite, he won't mind." Foreman answered.

"Right, he won't mind! And when did I become his favourite? You go!" retorted Chase

"Why should I go?" Foreman positively shuddered at the thought of what House would do to him if he caught him peeking.

"How about coz you're the black man?"

"Hey, House can get away with these jokes but don't think you can!" Foreman threatened Chase.

"Oh yeah? Whatcha gonna do, huh? You gonna beat me?"

The day had been long and stressful and the boys were up for some action.

"Shhh guys! Shut up! They're coming!" said Cameron.

All three turned around in their seats, rustling the few papers scattered on the table, as if deep in work. Sure enough, the door opened. Out on the balcony they had heard some voices inside. They had laughed uneasily and Cuddy had rested her forehead on House's chin before nestling herself against his chest. He held her close. Words seem powerless to express what he wanted to say. And now the team had seen them. He looked back into her eyes. "Talk about it tonight?"

"Yes" she nodded, her eyes now almost teary but her face radiant.

They both took a deep breath."Ok. In we go then" He opened the door for her and followed her back inside.

The team made as if they hadn't heard anything.

"God, you're all terrible liars."

Cautiously, they looked up. House and Cuddy were standing side by side. She was smiling shyly.

"And Chase, your voice is way too high. What do they do to little boys in Australia?"

House had tried deflecting but the team wasn't biting. Three pairs of eyes were locked on House and Cuddy.

"It's not what it looked like, said House in a mock panicked teenage voice. Or maybe it is."

Still they stared at them.

"Stop staring, didn't anyone tell you it was rude?"

Understanding that they wouldn't get anything from him, they went back to their test results. With a smile and a silent "See you later", Cuddy exited the room.

"So, what can you tell me?" resumed House as if nothing had happened. He gazed after Cuddy's silhouette in the corridor but forced himself away from the thoughts cascading in his brain and back on to the case.


	3. Chapter 3

3

At 6.30 House called Cuddy. "You home yet?"

"No I was stuck with a few things. I was so slow today. I'm going now. How about you?"

"Looks like we're here for at least another couple of hours."

"Well, you know, you could always drop by later. I mean, I'll let you in, whatever the time." She laughed lightly. They spent most of their time together at her place and yet neither of them was completely comfortable with the idea that they were practically living together. She knew it freaked him out. So he didn't have a key and sometimes he would come knocking late when a case kept him at the hospital. She'd be asleep and would hear his knock and go unlock the door for him and when they slipped under the covers together she could finally be at peace. There had a tacit mutual agreement. She made sure he didn't feel pressured and he made sure she didn't feel like he didn't respect her. Slowly but firmly they had managed to establish a mature relationship where they didn't need to know the other one's whereabouts and doings every single hour of the day. They spent most of their evenings and weekends together and would go out as a couple but they didn't need to have the 'moving in together' discussion. They were happy with the way things were. Now everything would change, and they were aware of it.

"Ok. I should be in before if not, I'll call you."

Cuddy got home to her baby girl. She bathed and fed her praying that nothing would go wrong with the pregnancy and that soon she'd have another baby to take care of.

At 8.30 there was a knock on the door. Picking up her daughter she went to open the door to House.

"Hey." He kissed her on the lips, closing the door behind him and hanging his coat by the door. Rachel cooed with delight upon seeing him. In the months since they had gotten together Rachel had really started to like House.

"You're happy too aren't you? It's much too late for a little thing like you to be up. You need your beauty sleep like any other woman, you know." Rachel, completely clueless as to what he was saying, cooed some more and lifted her arms towards House, wanting him to take her. It wasn't the first time this happened. Usually House had just feigned to not notice it and Cuddy had swiftly diverted the child's attention. But tonight House stretched his arm out and took the young child from her mother's arms. He didn't say anything and neither did Cuddy. Man and child were deciphering one another, Rachel pulling at his hair and grabbing his nose and stubble. "What if I did that, huh? I don't think you'd like it." Resting his cane against the wall he shifted his weight onto his good leg and raised a tentative hand to softly pinch Rachel's nose, almost as if he were conducting an experiment. The child squealed in delight.

"Oh you do like being pinched! Very much like your mother! Only not the same spot." He smirked at Cuddy.

"Alright, alright she doesn't need to hear this, she laughed, taking her daughter back. I was just about to put her to bed. I hadn't realised it was so late. Say goodnight, Rachel."

"G'neye" attempted Rachel, blowing kisses at House, in exactly the same way Cuddy did when she left Rachel's room after tucking her in at night. Both adults laughed at her mimicking faculties.

"Grab something from the fridge if you're hungry, I'll be back in a sec' " Cuddy said over her shoulder, going up the stairs to the first floor.

House opened the fridge. He was faced with left-over pizza from the previous night and what looked like steamed veggies and salmon. Sniffing at it, he decided he'd go for the salmon. He popped the plate in the microwave and proceeded to cut himself a small piece of pizza. "Ewww" cold pizza definitely wasn't his favourite. He reached for an open bottle of chardonnay, closed the fridge and retrieved two wine glasses from the cabinet. As he set them on the kitchen counter, he froze. She couldn't have wine. She was pregnant. With his child. It hit him: he was going to be a dad.

At that precise moment Cuddy came in the kitchen, unaware of the thoughts in House's head. She heard the microwave and peered inside. Surprised to see the plate of salmon in there, she turned to House: "Oh, going for the healthy option, are we?"

House had turned round from the glass cabinet and had now engulfed her tiny frame in his arms. "Might as well." It was a clear reference to the fact that if a child would soon be looking up to him, his duty was to make sure he would be there for him or her for as long as possible. And that included healthier eating habits. She understood what he meant perfectly. Something they both cherished in their relationship was the way they didn't have to explain their thought processes out: a few words, an eye contact, or a hug were generally enough. Whether that came from knowing each other for so long or the other way around they weren't sure.

As they kissed, she pulled away, tasting the pizza in his mouth. "Still, you couldn't resist that pizza, could you?" she teased him.

He just smiled and shrugged and reached for her lips again. Lately he hadn't needed deflecting or making wise-ass comments as much as he had done in the past. He still cracked good ones on a daily basis, but, in their intimacy, he was often content with letting her have the final word. In the past he would have argued with her until she abdicated, often causing her unnecessary humiliation. Now he could be happy with laughing at her own antics and kissing her. And he knew it made him irresistible in her eyes when he did that.

The microwave's "Ding" suddenly rang out, indicating that House's dinner was ready. "Saved by the bell" he said, smiling. "Want to have dinner on the couch?" She asked, grabbing an apple. He nodded and, taking a beer along with the plate, followed her into the living room.


	4. Chapter 4

4

She sat cross-legged on the couch, studying her apple, lost in thought. He sat by her side and took a long sip from his beer, watching her inspect her apple from the corner of his eye. She looked up at him with the most innocent look, a hand-in-the-cookie-jar kind of look, realising her mind had strayed and apologising for it. He gave a low laugh and pulled her on his chest.

"What?" she asked giggling and trying –not very hard– to free herself from being crushed against his chest.

"You're just cute." He shrugged and kissed the top of her head. She let herself go limp in his arms and, nestling her head under his neck, closed her eyes and breathed in his scent. They stayed like that for a minute or two, both of them relishing in the comfort of the sheer physical closeness, not needing to say anything more right now.

"Aren't you hungry?" asked Cuddy, sitting up. "I'm ravenous", he answered. "Let's see what this is like." He made a show of suspiciously sniffing and poking the food before heartily tucking in. "Mmmh this is actually quite good. The butter sauce is perfect. You Jewish certainly can cook." She playfully poked him in the ribs with her elbow. There was a silent as that last remark from House triggered some new considerations.

"So, how are we going to do this? I'm not going to become Jewish."

"You don't have to."

Another silence. He chewed and she watched him, both lost in thought.

"Do we have to get married?"

"Gee House, what a proposal!" He looked at her seriously. She paused. "We don't _have_ to do anything."

"Wouldn't it make it easier though? If we did? I mean, I'd think your parents would want us to..."

"Wow you're already thinking about these things...I'm just... I'm just trying to get my head around the fact that we're going to have a baby!"

"I know, I know, so am I! It's just, you know, me and my practical mind." He shrugged, put his now empty plate down on the coffee table and downed the last of his beer in one big gulp.

When he looked back at her, she seemed lost in thought again, but this time she looked slightly worried.

He reached to her, squeezing her shoulder lightly. "Hey I didn't mean to worry you, this is great, the rest is details."

She focused back and looked him in the eye. "So you're happy about this? Really?" She wanted his honest opinion.

"Yeah, I am. To be honest I never thought I wanted a child. And certainly not since the leg. But this morning I thought I might be losing you. In fact I get to _keep_ you _and_ have a kid with you. So it's a win-win situation." She laughed and he pulled her closer. Their eyes locked once more.

"I'm terrified. But I wouldn't want to be doing it with anyone else. And I meant what I said this morning: we're going to be the best parents ever to this kid." She smiled and kissed him. There were tears in her eyes.

"Who are you? And what happened to Gregory House?" This was her own way of deflecting. Her and House were very similar in that both felt rather uneasy about openly addressing their feelings. In reality she had always known Gregory had it in him to step up to his responsibility and be a great life partner and father. She just couldn't believe how far they'd come since he came out of Mayfield. He had transformed in this wiser, more mature and yet ever so witty version of himself. And she loved it. She just had difficulties with showing and accepting love.

They hugged silently some more, until House reached for Cuddy's apple and took a bite from it. "Hey!" Cuddy laughed, reaching for it. But House wouldn't let her have it and a play fight ensued. When he finally let her get hold of it, there wasn't much to be had. Outstretched on the couch with her feet in his lap, both a little out of breath from the romping, she polished the apple off.

"So what we're gonna call it?" House was great at bringing out topics when she least expected it. But she had become a master in not showing him any signs as to how this habit of his almost threw her off-balance sometimes.

"Please don't call our baby "it"."

"It's not a baby yet. It's not even a foetus. Just an embryo. And we don't know whether it's a boy or a girl. I can't say "him" coz what if it's a girl? And I can't say "her" because what if it's a boy? That would make for one confused kid!"

She laughed. "Don't be ridiculous." She paused, then added: "I have a feeling it's a boy."

"You're kidding. There's no way you could know. It doesn't know itself!"

"I'm not saying it's rational. I always wanted to be mother to your son and I have a feeling this is it."

Her words silenced him. She looked at him and laughed. "Yeah Dr House, I pretty much wanted to have a baby with you from the day I set eyes on you. But I was on the way of becoming a doctor and all...she laughed again. I never gave up on the idea though, and I'm glad I didn't."

Now it was turn for his eyes to become wet. It was hard not to cry looking up at this beautiful perfect woman whom he loved so deeply and who was now pregnant with his child and hearing her say she had always wanted this to happen between them. He was thinking of how easily they could have never had it, how she had saved him from the abyss. He loved how strongly she had believed in him and never ceased to see in him the man he had always longed to be. And now he was going to be that man. He would be there for her always, love her always and be a father to both their children. It was so simple and yet so beautiful. It made so much sense. He suddenly felt like he had solved his lifetime puzzle. He was finally whole. In her eyes and in her belly lay his missing pieces.

By then a few tears had made out of his eyes and started trickling onto his cheeks. She rushed to him as soon as she saw them. "Hey, baby." She whispered, sitting on his lap and wrapping him in her arms. "Sshh, it's ok." Her arms around him, he couldn't hold the tears any longer. Thoughts of how desperate and lonely and drunk and mean he had been in the past invaded him, thoughts of how he had hurt Wilson by killing Amber, of how terrified he had been in the mental institution, of how he could have lost himself just like Kutner had done, of how unfair it was that his leg had been forever damaged, of how he never had had a real father...all these thoughts invaded him and all he could do was cry silently, shaking in the arms of the woman whom had always loved him. It was the cry he had never been able to let out and she knew it.

She rocked him silently until the sobs evened it, crying silently herself. He looked up at her. Her eyes were almost as red and puffy as his own. She felt pain at how hurt he had been. He gave a small laugh, trying to get himself together: "Look at us two." He wiped a tear from her cheek with his thumb. She smiled and he pulled her around him again. It felt so right. There, his face squashed against her breast, he thanked her. "Thank you, thank you. Thank you for always being there, for always believing in me, for never leaving me in my own misery. Thank you for wanting to have my baby." They laughed and she looked at him, a world of love in her eyes. "I love you" she said simply, almost shrugging, as if to say that she had no credit, she hadn't been able to do any differently. "I always loved you." He reached up to kiss her and the night they shared then was one of their most passionate ever.

**I hope you liked it! As I re-read I was afraid House might be a little out of character. It certainly doesn't match with the House we're seeing in the "Broken" sneak-peeks, but I think it could make sense, especially if you read my previous fanfics, which explore House's psyche.** **Let me know what you think :)**


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